TankBud

Asian upside-down catfish

Mystus leucophasis

Also known as Burmese upside-down catfish, Asian upside-down bagrid

FreshwaterFish

Asian upside-down catfish (Mystus leucophasis)

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
11.8 in
30 cm
Minimum tank
114 gal
430 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Own kind
One per tank
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Bagridae
Origin
Native to the Sittang and other river systems of Myanmar.

Overview

The Asian upside-down catfish is a striking oddball that rests and swims belly-up near the bottom. It is a predator for a large, dim tank and best with a little experience.

Did you know

The Asian upside-down catfish looks a lot like an African Synodontis and shares their belly-up habit. It is actually an Asian bagrid from Myanmar that happened to evolve the same upside-down trick.

Caring for the Asian upside-down catfish

Give an Asian upside-down catfish a tank of at least 114 gal (430 L), kept dim, with heavy wood and cave cover. It spends the day tucked under wood, often hanging belly-up beneath driftwood.

Keep the water soft to neutral at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C), with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5 and gentle to moderate flow. Feed frozen and live meaty foods, earthworms and sinking pellets after dark.

This catfish is a predator and will eat small tank mates, so pair it only with fish too big to swallow. It can be territorial and is best kept one to a tank. Its breeding is not recorded in aquariums.

Good to know

Mystus leucophasis is a bagrid catfish in the family Bagridae, with a large mouth and long barbels. The trade also sells it as the Burmese upside-down catfish.

In the wild

The Asian upside-down catfish comes from the Sittang and other river systems of Myanmar. There it shelters in wood, roots and shady overhangs and comes out to hunt at night.

Common questions

What size tank does an Asian upside-down catfish need?

An Asian upside-down catfish needs at least 114 gal (430 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does an Asian upside-down catfish need?

An Asian upside-down catfish is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

What does an Asian upside-down catfish eat?

An Asian upside-down catfish eats frozen and live meaty foods, earthworms and sinking pellets. Feed it after dark, and keep small fish away from it.

How big does an Asian upside-down catfish get?

An adult Asian upside-down catfish reaches about 11.8 in (30 cm).

Related species